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Indoor and Built Environment, Vol. 13, No. 4, 309-314 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/1420326X04044158

Bacteria Removal and Viability Attenuation by Means of an Electrostatic Barrier

Mariangiola Dottori

Department of Materials and Environmental Engineering and Physics, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy

Gabriele Fava

Department of Materials and Environmental Engineering and Physics, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy, fava{at}univpm.it

Maria Letizia Ruello

Department of Materials and Environmental Engineering and Physics, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy

This study is focused on bacterial control through the removal and attenuation of viability by means of a commercial electrostatic air cleaner inserted in the ductwork of a central heating and air-conditioning system. Adapting the system to include an electrostatic barrier resulted, on an average, in removal of 88% of the bacteria in the airflow. In addition, the ratio of viable to non-viable organisms, calculated on the basis of epifluorescence measurements, was changed appreciably by passage through the electrostatic filter. Evaluation of performance was followed by two different strategies of sampling-analysis: a plate count method and epifluorescence microscopy. The system overall was highly efficient in removing the bacteria, since those few that evaded the filter underwent attenuation of around 50% of their viability on passage through it. This work suggests a strong positive effect when an electrostatic barrier is inserted in a ventilation duct.

Key Words: Electrostatic filtration • Bacterial control • Ventilation ducting • Viable particles • Epifluorescence microscopy


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